CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison reads to young people at the 2017 Feria de Educación. Photo by Sarah Dutton.
Univision Los Angeles, the California State University Chancellor’s Office and California State University, Northridge are once again teaming up to host the Feria de Educación, a daylong celebration focused on providing educational resources for thousands of youth and families at CSUN on Saturday, Oct. 20.
The free, annual event, part of Univision’s “Regresa a Classes” (Back-to-School) campaign, has become one of the largest education fairs in the nation and is free for parents, students and educators. Through its award-winning corporate empowerment platform, Univision Contigo, the back-to-school campaign is focused on promoting Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) building blocks, education, opportunities and careers for Latinos.
The Feria is scheduled to take place from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. in areas and buildings around CSUN’s Oviatt Library, located in the heart of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge. This is third year CSUN has hosted the community event.
“We are pleased to once again partner with Univision and the California State University system to host this year’s Feria de Educación,” CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison said. “As a university that has launched more than 360,000 bright futures, we are happy to help shape the next generation of college students’ futures. I encourage students and families of all ages to join us in discovering valuable educational information and a better understanding of the financial resources that make higher education affordable and accessible.”
Since 2009, a CSU campus and Univision Los Angeles have partnered to offer this one-day education fair filled with Spanish- and English-language workshops and other activities designed to give parents the tools to help their children achieve their educational and career goals, providing resources and valuable information on the full spectrum of education.
“Our joint mission to provide access to education and empower our community has been the driving force behind our ten-year partnership with CSU system and why we are proud to do this event,” said Luis Patiño, president and general manager of Univision Los Angeles. “Knowledge is powerful and empowering, it opens doors and helps our community rise and succeed.”
Workshops will include how to navigate the California educational system, preparing for college early, financial aid and scholarships, and services for undocumented students.
The Feria will include a “reading garden” and a variety of age-appropriate books and learning materials will be distributed to encourage children and their parents to read together. There will be exhibits explaining the “pathway” to education with additional resources and information, beginning with pre-K and continuing through post-graduate services.
Univision talent joining Feria include: Liz Alvarado (KLOVE), Yarel Ramos and Oswaldo Borraez, as well as Cecilia Bogran and Gabriel Teissier (A Primera Hora).
The Feria de Educación supports the CSU’s Graduation Initiative 2025that is focused on increasing the completion rates of first-time freshmen, transfer, low-income and underserved students. The Graduation Initiative 2025 will add 100,000 more college graduates to California’s workforce over the next 10 years, bringing the total number of expected CSU graduates between 2015 and 2025 to more than 1 million.
“The future of California and the nation will depend on our ability to ensure that all students — regardless of background, belief, circumstance or status — have equitable opportunities for academic achievement and lifelong success,” CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White said. “As a product of California’s public higher education systems, I am proud that the California State University stands committed to building pathways to higher education for all qualified students.”
For more information about the Feria de Educación at CSUN, visit www.csun.edu/feria. To learn more about Feria events across California, visit www.calstate.edu/feriadeeducacion.